Sony a7C Hands-on Review + comparisons to Sony a7 III 

The touch focus does not have lag in reality. It starts working the instant you tap the screen, the lag is the lens focusing. The box displays in the moved position once focus is obtained. There are also two touch focus modes on the rear screen. Normal and with tracking. Track pad function while you use the evf is totally different and it too is quick. Some have mistakenly said it is slow because they don't use it correctly. It has a "sticky" function once you focus. To move quickly you just have to lift the finger and hop to where you and to go. Once you develop muscle memory for this it is faster than a joystick. I too at first thought it was funky until I understood how it works.

I was dreaming of such a camera for YEARs. For me it came too late, as I'm now happy with a Z6. However it's refreshing and exciting to see a rangefinder style camera with all the SONY tech inside. But it's a shame that they have not implemented the new menue system. Many thanks for the, as always, informative and entertaining review. You guys rock!!!!!

Ooof. The sadness intro was right in the feels. That was... different.

I bought the a7C because I needed a backup to my Leica M bodies. The a7C is an art camera for artists, not hobby people. I have a bunch of Russian L39 lenses, too. The a7C is small and almost the same size as a rangefinder. I could care less about the squinty viewfinder...have you looked throught a Barnack III? This viewfinder of the a7C is great compared to looking through a IIIF Barnack. The dials? I hardly work the dials once I have it set up to shoot. The ergonomics is excellent; perfect for my hands, actually. I think the newbs are spoiled these days. The old guys who came into photography in the 60's, 70's and 80's love the a7C. Lastly & bestly (LOL) it's full-frame!

When I know I am going to hate the camera, when Chris compliments the grip.

0:32 one of the best photos Chris have ever composed

Nice review. One thing most reviewers forget to test is how the EVF works for people who wear glasses (not all can have contact lenses). Maybe you could get a pair of glasses without correction to test with?

Still waiting for the long ago-promised comparative reviews of the various photo editing programs (Lightroom, Capture One, Luminar, etc.). Using these programs is a part of many (most?) photographers' workflow, and I would seriously *love* to hear your take on their various strengths and weaknesses. I *always* look forward to seeing your video reviews, and have followed you guys from early on in the Camera Store days. I believe Jordan indicated a few years back that you were going to do this, but it was, admittedly, around the transition time from Camera Store to DPReview, so it might have gotten lost in the shuffle. But I think many DPReview TV watchers would appreciate the special Alberta wit applied to photo editing programs. Thanks for considering this suggestion, and keep up the great work!

That kit lens looks amazing! Looks like a really fun grab-and-go setup. I have no problem with bigger bodies and lenses but I think many people underestimate the pure joy of such a light, compact setup. Reminds me of when I first got the A6000 with 16-50 - such a great experience! Thanks for making reviews I can actually trust. Cheers

Hey, loved the humour at the start of the video! As for the camera, it's not for me, I already have the A7III. But I'm disappointed that Sony didn't put in the new menu system. Let's hope they put that right with the A7IV (and don't raise the price too much!)

10:41 looking closely at the bench, someone has expressed what we all have been going through in the past 6 months

Last but not least this review of a7C. I remember in 2010 when you were one of the firsts to review the innovative Sony NEX-3 and NEX-5, the first mirrorless cameras by Sony. I saw that video then and it was the main reason I entered the e-mount world. Something I have never regret. Since then the duo has changed channel and is not as fast as before.

Man, that lens is sharp. Pretty impressive for a kit lens

I just wanted to stop by and say that I absolutely love your reviews. You guys have perfected the review like phlearn has perfected the tutorial in the photo world, for me at least. Thank you for all the hard work!

"That's asking a lot of anyone's thumb" hahaha

I can never get over your video quality and than the detail in the review its like you created the camera yourself :)

The form factor of that camera is perfect! I never use the viewfinder in my A7iii anyways. I'd love to see in a future version two card slots but probably won't happen due to size. The A7Cii could definitely tempt me away from the larger bodies.

I totally agree with your gripes with the EVF. Was a big turn off from the smaller-bodied Sonys.

All jokes and jabs aside, I’m surprised it costs $1,800. Even if we ignore the cheaper full frame options from other manufacturers and just look at the Sony lineup, it’s not particularly attractive. From what I am hearing, this camera is basically an A7iii. An A7iii is $2,000 (and has been since it came out a few years ago). So you’re saving $200... but you’re losing the MUCH better viewfinder, the 2nd card slot, the AF joystick, etc. Plus you’re still getting the now “older” tech of the A7iii on a “new” camera in 2020. Idk, just seems like if you wanted the A7iii you’d be better off just buying the A7iii. If you wanted to save money while still having an A7iii, you’re better off buying a used A7iii.

Man, you look devastated. Cheer up, bro! I know it's tough in this pandemic situation. But we're not used to see you like this. I mean you are one of the most joyful person on RU-vid. ❤

Nicely articulated feeling of doom and gloom in the beginning. That's why I like these guys - they don't do robotic specs reviews, but add a human touch.

Nearly didn’t watch this because I thought Gerald already told me everything I needed to know about this camera, but I’m glad I did... YOU GUYS ALWAYS BRING IT!

Basically the NEX7 FF successor I was waiting for back in 2012 :)

Lot of camera nerds not happy with this camera (so many negative comments from people who were never in the market anyway) but for a lot of "average people" with the money this will be a blast. It looks good, it's compact with that lens, an any salesperson with half a brain will stick customers on the end of it and say look how well the auto focus works, see how it follows people around and that sensor takes a damn good picture however old it is. Not to mention video vlogging features.

I'm so glad they made a vlogging lens to vlog my nose. Great job Sony.

*Most depressing beginning in a camera review ever...so depressing that I loved it!

Does the viewfinder let you add an eye up like the A6000? I don't think this will kill Sony A6600. This camera is $600 more expensive (plus tax). Also, full frame lenses are more expensive.

I like the stiling of the Sony A7c very much with the EVF out to the very side of the camera, I hope that all future A7/A9 Sony cameras will have this design, but with larger EVF in higher resolution.

A7c = C for cheerful, love it. Thanks for the review.

What's the point of a smaller camera if the lenses are too huge?

Another spot-on review from "the guys", with pluses & minuses and great alternative suggestions. Don't know why, but their reviews are the only ones convincing me to be totally unbiased, even when I do not fully agree. All others seem to have some sort of well [or not so well] hidden agenda. Cheers!

For me the EVF in a7c is worse than in a6600 because you can't have an eyepiece cup on a7c. That cup helps a lot.

Thanks for that great, informative, CHEERFUL Video Jordan and Chris! As a A7 III Videographer I don't understand your "complaints" about the Autofocus system of the camera - in my experience (soon 19 months) and running the latest Firmware the Autofocus is nothing but great, it works really well - and I know, as I often also stand in front of the camera! So I am wondering if you're running an old Firmware on your A7 III?

thank you both for the many great reviews over the last decade , top class

Nice review chaps! I jumped from M43 to Sony and was going to just get a second hand A7Riii, but on seeing this I started out with the A7C. My only mistake was not getting the 28-60mm kit lens. I've got one second hand now and love it. I also have the A7Riii too. It's a great combination - same battery. The A7C is my take everywhere camera and the A7Riii for more Pro stuff!

What's the use of such a compact body on a full size sensor as long as you need a bigger lens if you're searching image quality, kit lens is simply pulling it down. Better take a M43 or an APSC with pro lenses, no ?

A7C is announced $1799, $200 cheaper than A73. Why the host said it is a bit more expensive?

The EVF is a major flaw by the sound of it. It's one part of a camera that they can't get wrong, because you're using it all the time. At least, I am!

entry level camera over £2000 in the uk. More than most people, earn in a month (in fact nearer 2 months for many) Think I'm well out priced in photography these days.

No mention of the lens ecosystem? I think the Sony is a great choice!

i think for me i’ll still go with the a7iii for the bigger body and because i don’t really require super fast AF i shoot completely manual unless i’m doing portraits and the a7iii will be more than enough for my needs

This guys presentation style is absolutely on point. Awesome review!

Im actually really interested in the Auto focus

forget the AC whatever. the S1H video is simply lovely. stay tuned. the gh6 is coming. man, i got ta get me one of those S1Hs.

If the lens is sharper than the other Sony 28-70 kit lens, as DPReview seems to imply. this camera is amazing and will be great for the average user who is looking for general/travel FF camera but doesn't want much size. Let's wait for more detailed lens reviews.

The a7c uses the BIONZ X processor from the a7 so it doesn’t get the better codecs, better autofocus (less lag), better frame rates, new menu system of the a7s III as that uses the new BIONZ XR processor.

As usual guys great presentation as always. Thanks to you both just purchased an A7C..

I had written this thing off entirely but after watching this and hearing a less spec oriented perspective, I'm realizing I was probably too harsh after having has expectations of ANYTHING be inflated by the R5, R6, and a7S3. Good video!

waiting for fuji 50mm f1 review

Been shooting with apsc for yearssss. I think this might be my stepping stone to full frame

Sony found this thing in their basement, remembered that they wanted to release it two years ago, dusted it off, added 500 bucks to its price just for shits and giggles....and bam, proceeded to instantly render their latest APS-C lineup obsolete. On the upside, Sony proved that backwards time travel *is* possible. :) I'd rather save up for the A7SIII. On an unrelated note: for how much do kidneys sell these days? :) :)

Out of the half dozen reviews on the new Sony a7C I've watched so far, I like your take the best, especially the closing thoughts on who this particlar camera may appeal to. I have an a7riii and a smaller street rig that let's me make use my existing lenses sounds ideal. The a7C immediatlly reminded me a lot of the Panasonic GX series too and it's good to hear someone else confirm that -- my current 'small' camera is a GX9 and I've been on the fence about upgrading it because I love the accmpanying Leica lenses so much. The a7C may be a strong contender now. P.S. If I had to critique anything about your latest videos it would be this -- you'd both benefit from upgading your dad-fashion style. No offense meant, most of us men of a certain struggle in that department. Cheers.

You guys should come to Toronto. Parking is free, Tim Hortons is everywhere, sun shines always and Kasey Stern lives here😏

If you were comparing the A7c and the Fuji XT-4 for street photography (understanding we’re talking full frame sensor and aps-c sensor). (I have the Nikon Z6II which I love) which one would you choose and why?

I liked the fact that during the depressing portion of the video you tossed in a picture of Jordan. Mean.

Calgary looks fine with that weather once you’re in nature. It’s mainly concrete that doesn’t mix so well with overcast.

I'm glad you did a review on this camera. Can you guys do a Sony a7c and the Fuji XT-4?

Yes, it's a small body and the kit-lens is also small. But if you want better glass, it becomes large and heavy anyway and then you have to balance it with this small body.

This is exactly the review, and exactly the camera I was looking for. Something lightweight, but pretty powerful and capable. I’m absolutely willing to sacrifice some of the niceties of other cameras for that lighter weight, not to mention solid auto focus. Will most likely be finally upgrading (from Canon 5Dmkiii)!

EAR-itating! Love seeing you guys on screen!

This is the review I’ve been waiting for

I just can't find a reason to get this over an a7II. Anyone that's half a photographer won't be interested in the kit lenses anyway, so it comes down to some really small things and this camera only wins if you're looking for small. Which would be fine if I weren't mounting 135 mm 1.4's on it, which just makes it a weird thing to hold on to.

Just tested a7cand compared with a a7r3 at a sony store. It's freakin light and fast. Very casual camera which packs power underneath the beautiful body. Downside is it feels bit empty when you hold it and the viewfinder is pathetic. I'm a casual enthusiasts, so I chose to go with a7c as convenience is my priority

Yay for GX8!

Ha, instantly recognized that "boring" sign. He's my fav local artist I think.

cheer up, cheer up everyone. The pandemic will end at the end of the day, and lets embrace sunshine altogether.

Body only is $1800 over here and a7iii is $1500. It's hard to justify that $300 just for compact size and more advanced real time tracking. I suppose if this sells well, they are going to do the usual Sony policy of 1st Gen camera and gonna update this within less than 2 years to 2nd Gen.

You guys are great. One of the best hires DPReview has ever done (and by extension, Amazon). Keep up the great work!

this camera doesnt have any odds, simply it's a great a7iii and even more with a smaller package, compact nature of this camera is just superb. I havbe Mine A7III and IV and simply i preffer a7iii image.

Finally, I have found the best camera for me. No record limit Weather seal Fully articulating screen Full frame Not "look at me. I am a big camera here" style. Better battery life Better AF than many others And more If there was no crop on 30p 4k, it would be 100% perfect. But who cares, even films are 24p.

I have an A7rIV, and I went for the Fuji x100v as my walk-around camera in early 2020. I just picked up the Sony A7C; I think I like it better since I have some compact primes. The jury is still out. I do love the Fuji x100v.

That scene at 4:12 is just gorgeous. Those Panasonic colours are (amongst?) the best.

@9:10 Chris is EAR-ritating on the background...🤣

You guys are such stars of the camera today.

Interested to see the optical performance comparison of the Sony 28-60 vs Tamron 28-75 and Tamron 28-200.

Amazing shots, Chris. You can just about taste sadness in that man's eyes at 1:44.

The a7c is a good camera! I also have that camera. I'm excited because it's so light and compact. This video was very interesting! I will come to play again. With love from Japan :)

8:57 Chris being earritating.

Nice and helpful video, TY. What about rolling shutter on this camera?

this is my dream camera with some fixable downsides since the technology is already there, sony has it. I wish it had a built-in flash like sony a6000. Also adding a more modern sensor would be cool with pixel shift technology like the a7riii. And more capable evf. That would be just perfect. Still love this one, I hope they keep improving this concept of rangefinder style ff mirrorless

Great video! I have to upgrade from a Nikon D7200 as it sucks for video. Although I am using Sigma ART (18-35 & 50mm) for glass. I had my eyes set on the Panasonic S5, but I think the auto focus of this camera is best for me. I do a lot of self shot product demos/reviews and you can imagine my frustration with my Nikon D7200, I end up using a webcam with less frustration. I would probably use this Sony as a high end webcam for my live interview shows as well. Thanks for this vid, a fellow Canadian as well (Ontario). Cheers!

Emo Chris has it right, I really needed this to have 4k60 and less rolling shutter to be compelling. When there's enough light for the tiny sensor, I find myself shooting with my iPhone (that had 4k60 four years ago), instead of my A6300. The bad EVF and worse LCD resolution, along with poor input methods and custom buttons, makes this sound equally as frustrating as my A6300. Hopefully they fix all this next gen, I love the size and shape of it.

Just a question with your shots, why is your ISO so high ? Was it really that dark on that day ?

I've had the Sony A7c for a while for photography and it's fallen more and more to my liking as time goes on, so I actually no longer use my Sony A9 and consider selling it. The size is perfect for me and I love that the viewfinder puts in the side of the camera as I prefer that way of photographing. For the viewfinder I have bought an eyecup, and now the viewfinder has become really good to work with. I absolutely love the Color Science, and now I often only photograph in jpg. My only downside with the camera is that the LCD screen could well be more high resolution, but it is still possible to work with in most situations. Regarding the smaller number of buttons and wheels on the camera compared to, for example, Sony A9, it is not a problem for me as I switched the buttons and wheels that are to the ones I use the most. I always use focus tracking, so I do not need a button / wheel to move focus around with, as I just lay the focus point with focus -tracking on the subject that should be in focus and then I can move the subject where I want in the viewfinder or on the screen. I think it's much faster that way too. Many greetings Jess

Weird that in US the A7c is cheaper than the A7III, although the viewfinder should have the A6600 magnification

This camera isn't for stills. The evf isn't meant to be actually used in any meaning ful way. This is a vlogging rig. It's meant to have the screen flipped to the back and put on a gimbal. That's all.

How would this stack up against the Panasonic Lumix GH5? Ok its compact but what about the video quality? The gh5 looks amazing

I admire your enthusiasm. But I just can't understand why most videos are out of focus. Sometimes sharpness is good, as in 4:12, 10:20, 11:18. I suppose a lot of people find it unpleasant to watch a video that is so blurry.

This is really a missed opportunity to take on oly/fuji, for having a cute (maybe that's what the c stands for). small camera which is fun to use whilst travelling/street photog. The lack of dials/custom buttons seems to impact how fun this camera would be to use... Basically give us a fuji camera with the alpha mount :p

Bit of a strange release IMHO. The new lens is not wide enough for Vlogging. So you're going to need to buy a wide angle lens, which is going to completely unbalance the camera. Which leads to the next point. This camera might be great if you're going to be just using small lenses as a smallish package full frame camera. However the truth is you need the big expensive glass to get the most creative and artistic functionality out of this camera. I doubt many people are going to spend the not insignificant money on this and just stick to the kit lens or perhaps a small 50mm F1.8. So once you buy better glass, you're going to regret the ergonomics. Which also leads to the rangefinder style viewfinder, it's old tech. In a camera at this price point in 2020 they should have gone for a larger size 3.69 million dot at the very least. Not having 10 bit video is not the end of the world but it is disappointing in 2020. As is the lack of a front dial and joystick/nipple. This camera to me feels like Sony trying to get more life out of the FF 24mp sensor that they've been using for quite some time now. Fair enough but they could I feel have been a bit more adventurous with the specs. Which makes me feel that this camera is overpriced. £2149 with the kit lens. Opphhh, no thanks. It's probably unrealistic but I think this camera would have been far more attractive at £1499 with the kit lens. I'd have liked to see this competing with the Canon RP price and market segment wise. Which you can buy brand new in the UK well under £1000, though body only. I think we will see heavy price discounting on this body once the A7IV comes out. Because it won't be much bigger, yet will almost certainly destroy it on specs. On the plus side, I hope Fuji look at this release and do some magic with the X-E4. They could learn a lot from this and bring us a cracking ILC small body with weathersealing and updated tech. Higher res viewfinder and not skimp. Get the price right and it could be a killer APS-C option. Which for the physical size of the A7C I think APS-C makes more sense. Because bottom line is once you go good glass, you will wish you had a bigger camera.

Could you make an episode of A7c with the DJI RSC2. Lot of confusion with video/photo setup it seems. Would really help me make my first vlog setup purchase decision. Thanks.

Thanks for the great review! You missed out on one comparison as to who would use this camera. I have the a7Siii King of Video cameras as my main camera but often I need a B camera as I do a lot of event shooting where I need a wide angle unmanned camera on a tripod. Stage plays, dance-groups, choirs etc. This for me will be a great B camera. Same Sony look and colour science for perfect matching in Premiere Pro. My A camera does all the heavy lifting for audio and has double card slots for redundancy. My A7C will have the Gmaster 20mm 1.8. Also not mentionned is that this camera has very similar processing of video like my main camera so I can push my ISO much higher and still get great results in low light with great dynamic range. So see…this camera is NOT only for enthusiasts or aps-c videographers starting to do FF but also professionals looking for a nice B camera! 😁📸

I really hate this camera, what I want is an a7iii with flippy screen and the new autofocus but to get it right now I would have to buy the a7c which has so many limitations (missing buttons, not good for photography because of tiny EVF, etc.). It's really a bad situation.

Great review. Sums up the best and worst very well and a great guide for camera buyers. Meets its objective, no doubt. Thanks!

Nice comparison! I'm an a7iii user and recently have been missing the candybar design of the a6000.

This body with big bright EVF and focus peaking level Fuji, would be perfect for adopting manual focus lenses and street photography.

Looking at the design (rangefinder style, silver top plate and exposure dial?!), it feels like Sony is going for Fujifilm fans that want a full frame sensor! Right?

I hope a R version comes out with bigger grip, front dial, better evf and the 42mp sensor. The shape is already there.

Over here, the a7C is launched slightly cheaper than the a7III, and that makes it compelling for those looking for the lightest FF kit for travel. The new AF and colour compared to the a7iii are strong points. For those looking for compact FF, we would be willing to overlook some of the ergonomics.

Nice work guys. Thanks. After another low light camera fail at Thanksgiving, thinking dedicated camera again.